The Highest Expression of Life: Contemplative Intelligence

A wise old monk once said, “Contemplation is the highest expression of our intellectual and spiritual life.” This profound statement resonates deeply, inviting us to explore the depths of our being and unlock a higher state of consciousness.

Beyond Reason and Intellect:

The monk is of course Thomas Merton who emphasizes that true understanding transcends the limitations of reason and intellect. He points out that our minds are often trapped in a cycle of ego-driven defenses, leading to a constant state of fight-or-flight. This constant stress has detrimental effects on our physical and mental well-being.

The Power of Silence and Action:

Contemplative intelligence (CQ) is a way of thinking and making decisions that incorporates mindfulness, introspection, and self-awareness. It’s based on the idea that reflective practices can help people gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world, which can lead to more deliberate and thoughtful actions. 

Contemplative Intelligence is the ability and capacity to utilize our meta-cognitive abilities. It involves the conscious awareness of integrating our physiology, psychology, emotions, and spiritual aspects into a state of harmonious and ecstatic motion. This intelligence empowers us to recognize, understand, and effectively manage our own mind, body, and emotions. Consequently, we can navigate relationships and social interactions at an advanced level, surpassing conventional norms.

Contemplative Intelligence fosters the development of wisdom, advanced awareness, and insightful understanding. This enables us to reduce stress, remain present in the moment, and perceive the reality (truth) of people, places, things, situations, conversations, and events without distortion from subjective experiences. Relying solely on intellect will not suffice in achieving our full potential. This necessitates an “awakening” or a shift in our consciousness to live life efficiently, purposefully, and meaningfully – a realization that has eluded many throughout history.

By cultivating Contemplative Intelligence, we gain the capacity to observe reality and naked truth with an endless, self-regulated, and loving gaze, unhindered by personality or ego defense mechanisms. While in the realm of intellect, “contemplation” signifies deep and profound thought, in the religious context, it refers to an inner vision or seeing that transcends the intellect. This is often facilitated through practices such as prayer or meditation. For our clients, contemplation embodies the pursuit of an authentic, purposeful, and meaningful life.

Contemplative practice is fundamentally about alleviating our own suffering. It emphasizes awareness and conscious engagement in living a fulfilling life on this planet, regardless of its simplicity. Contemplative Intelligence work, or therapy, cultivates a profound understanding that transforms every aspect of one’s life – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. This harmonious movement of heart and mind ignites a love that surpasses anxiety, depression, addictions, and even death, illuminating the mind with the splendor of self-actualization and the realization of one’s true nature.

As Patanjali eloquently stated, “To rise above the modifications of your mind, when you cease your mind, when you cease to be a part of your mind, that is yoga.”

Contemplative Intelligence delves into the core of our being, seeking to understand the underlying motivations behind our actions and inactions. It provides a definitive resolution to this fundamental human conundrum. This intelligence transcends the limitations of the left and right hemispheres, guiding us across a trillion neural pathways to the other side of our “brainiverse.” This is a realm where the miraculous is commonplace, as exemplified by the lives of Christ, the Buddha, Gandhi, and countless others who profoundly impacted the world within a short span of their earthly existence. This intelligence resides within the brain’s gray matter, enabling us to unleash our creative potential, thrive in the face of fear and uncertainty, and effectively solve problems by applying new learning and previously inaccessible realms of imagination.

CQ can help people: 

• Heal – Contemplative intelligence can help heal long-standing conditions and life blocks. It can also help people transform and heal their lives through mindfulness and contemplation practices. 
• Recognize ego-insurgents CQ can help people identify the ways in which their brains trip them up, which are called ego-insurgents. Ego-insurgents can be disruptive to personal, professional, and social lives. 
• Create a well-being process Contemplative practices can help people enact a process of well-being that may include psychological and/or spiritual transformation. 

Some examples of contemplative practices include: 

Meditation, yoga, prayer, visualization, labyrinth walking, vigils, pilgrimages, journaling, sacred dance, and meditative strolls through to gazing and divine writing. Anytime we move beyond the analytical mind we unleash the power of your Contemplative Intelligence (CQ). When we don’t we move into this non-reactive space we tend to burn out, get depressed and become overwhelmed. I’ll productivity and our creativity diminish. We are not designed to work endlessly on projects of any kind without taking the necessary mindful breaks. Life its self is a macro example of this. We are not here just to work.

We are here to discover our own divinity and capability and in order to do that we need to get beyond the calculating and analytical mind. It is in this secret space that we find our true intelligence, intelligence that shows us that we once were lost and blind, living behind a veil of ignorance and not quite grasping the wonder, essence and magnitude of what life is all about. At some point, usually through great love or suffering we discover our own authenticity, truth that can be more likened to the imago-dei that we all posses under the masks of our personalities. In other words at some point in life, which Carl Jung referred to as moving from the first to the second half of life, we discover we are much more than the body-heart-mind we may have believed we once were.

Contemplative Intelligence recognizes 10 ways in which our own brains trip us up. They call these pests Ego-insurgents. Ego-insurgents are often disruptive to our personal, professional, and social lives. Insurgents are enmeshed in our personality traits and patterns of thinking, reacting, and behaving that become relatively consistent and stable over time. Without contemplative intelligence at work, ego-insurgents make us prone to more rigid thinking and reacting behaviors that make it hard for us to adapt to a situation, an opportunity or life itself. It then shows you the 10 ways, routes or journeys back to your authentic self, higher self or Sacred self as we call it. These names are not important. What is, is knowing that once you get beyond your mind, you find something far more powerful, eternal and energetically potent and from that point of discovery your life starts to transform.

Contemplative Intelligence (CQ) offers a path beyond these limitations. It’s not just about thinking deeply, but about integrating action with stillness. Like the binary code of zeros and ones, life itself is a dance between action and inaction, between doing and being.

• Action: Represents the “beta” state, driving us towards goals and achievements.
• Stillness: Represents the “alpha” state, allowing for introspection, creativity, and a deeper connection to ourselves.

CQ recognizes that both action and stillness are crucial for a fulfilling life. Without stillness, action can become frantic and unfulfilling. Without action, stillness can become stagnant and unproductive.

The Journey to Sacred Self:

The chapter delves into the concept of “sacred self,” the authentic self that lies beneath the layers of ego defenses built up throughout our lives. These defenses, born from past traumas and anxieties, limit our potential and hinder our ability to thrive.

The journey to unleash the power of your Contemplative Intelligence (CQ) and return to sacred self involves:

• Recognizing and overcoming ego defenses: Identifying and dismantling the patterns of thought and behavior that limit our growth.
• Cultivating stillness and introspection: Creating space for inner reflection and connecting with our deeper selves.
• Integrating action and stillness: Finding a harmonious balance between doing and being.

The Benefits when you Unleash the power of your Contemplative Intelligence (CQ):

• Reduce stress and anxiety: By calming the mind and reducing the impact of the fight-or-flight response.
• Increase creativity and innovation: By accessing the deeper, intuitive aspects of our minds.
• Discover your Spiritual Self: By practicing contemplation, you’ll discover you are not your mind.
• Improve overall well-being: By fostering a greater sense of peace, joy, and fulfillment.
• Connect with a deeper sense of purpose: By aligning with our authentic selves and living in accordance with our values.
• Meta – Understanding: You will be still and know! You will start to put the pieces of the puzzle of the universe into place and begin to understand why you’re here, what you’re doing here and whom you really are in the grand design of what is really going on here.

In Conclusion:

Contemplative Intelligence offers a powerful path to a more meaningful and fulfilling life. By embracing stillness, cultivating self-awareness, and integrating action with introspection, we can transcend the limitations of our minds and connect with a deeper sense of ourselves and the world around us.

Contemplative Intelligence (CQ), as described by here, integrates mindfulness and introspection for deeper self-awareness, promoting healing and reducing stress. By transcending ego defenses, CQ enables a harmonious balance between action and stillness, fostering creativity and authentic living.

Embracing CQ leads to profound understanding and personal transformation. To begin your journey and unleash the power of your Contemplative Intelligence (CQ) get in touch, come to the Center for Healing, Start a course online or get the book! Just begin. When you do everything will change. Namaste.